What is the score for e-learning? How did they rate it? teachers who implemented it in emergency conditions? “From the complete absence of a lesson, distance learning is the solution,” the experienced professor replies. high school, adding pointedly “and, fortunately, we all remained healthy.” “Students and teachers were not alienated from the educational process,” added his classmate.

“We used new, student-friendly teaching aids in the classroom that are often not used in school classrooms due to the lack of appropriate equipment,” said a kindergarten teacher, while a vocational school teacher focused on “students engaged in tasks, thereby developing their critical ability, which is largely lacking in the classroom.”

These are teachers’ responses to a qualitative and quantitative study on distance learning in public schools conducted during the pandemic during lockdown periods. But … these are the “pluses” of distance learning.

Flaws

The “cons” show that teachers must conduct a “tutorial” on new technologies, their equipment must undergo technological reconstruction, and the educational system must balance the different “learning speeds” of students. In particular, the shortcomings of distance education relate to problems associated with technological means, digital knowledge and skills of students and teachers, changing teaching methods in a new learning environment.

“Some of the students had constant problems with sound, and they wrote to the chat. Some got worried when they couldn’t see the screen because of the speed. I also had to request a higher speed on my home connection to cope,” the teacher replied. “The students could not easily use the computer. The digital environment complicates their task,” said the vocational school teacher, speaking of “students’ digital illiteracy.” Another high school teacher emphasizes the “insufficient qualifications of teachers, the inability of students to absorb the material and the difficulties of individual assistance to students.”

“Children get tired quickly” (kindergarten teacher), “direct and personal interaction was absent. I talked for hours in front of the screen and did not know if they were listening to me” (vocational school teacher), “the educational process loses its multi-layeredness and turns into a simple transfer of information” (secondary school teacher). At the same time, speaking about his high school students, the professor noted “a small opportunity to mobilize students who are usually indifferent to the lesson.”

The general recommendations were that technical difficulties created various problems for 2/3 of the students, which was emphasized by the majority of educators, while children from the lower socio-economic strata were at a disadvantage, as they had deficiencies and faced constant problems with technical equipment, while most did not know how to use it, causing them to become stressed, bored and absent from the course.

The study that introduced “K”was conducted for teachers of kindergarten, primary, secondary school, general education and vocational high school by students of the University of Entire Varnavas-Skoura, Vasilis Gialamas, Maria Ragusis and Maria Sfiroera within the framework of the postgraduate program of the Departments of Education and Early Childhood Education and Mass Media of the University of Athens, Architectural Engineering of the University Thessaly and Electrical and Electronic Engineering of the University of Western Attica and was published in the book of publications by Papazisi entitled “Remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, the experience of teachers”.

The study is devoted to the impact of distance learning on the educational process in a comprehensive school in the unprecedented social conditions of self-isolation during the coronavirus pandemic. Its quantitative results show the area of ​​intervention of the Ministry of Education, so that distance learning is not only a solution to the problem, but the opportunities offered by technology are used in the educational process. Figures are indicative.

60.93% of teachers have now asked to integrate some form of distance learning into their teaching, but 44.2% responded that the equipment they have is not enough for them to participate in distance learning, and 72.4% of teachers have not been trained in the technology to implement this. On the other hand, 85.37% of teachers felt that there was a need to provide electronic equipment to some students in their school.

Educators and schools have responded to distance learning to ensure contact with students and continuity in the educational process.

Absence…

At the same time, what about the total 8.7% of students who in both classes did not participate in distance learning at all? The highest percentage of children who missed TV courses was among kindergarten students (21.6%) and primary school students (13.2%). Smaller percentages were registered among vocational high school students (7.3%), followed by high school students (6.7%) and general secondary school students (2.5%).

Of course, if you add 12.4% of partially participating students to a total of 8.7% of students who did not participate at all, then for one in five students, distance learning left large learning gaps associated with their school trajectory. Unless the textbook covered them…

“The results of the survey clearly show that teachers and schools have responded to the introduction of distance learning during the state of emergency in order to ensure some contact with students and continuity in the educational process. This is something that educators consider especially important, regardless of the achievement of specific learning goals. It is also interesting that at this stage, according to the results of the study, the importance of emotional dimensions in educational communication was recognized, and teachers focused on their development,” says Ms. Gela Varnava-Skoura.

All acknowledge that the mobilization of teachers through additional workloads without the necessary training and unexpected personal expenses they paid for technological equipment to respond to the introduction of distance learning exacerbated the problems presented.

Technical difficulties created problems for 2/3 of the students, while children from the lowest socioeconomic backgrounds
layers were at a disadvantage.

However, from what the teachers reported, it seems that students from vulnerable social groups found themselves with limited access to the educational process and without support from teachers and parents in their studies. The generalized problem of participation of all students, according to the results of the survey, was present at all school levels, but is more pronounced at the level of kindergarten and primary school.

Something that should be of particular concern given that younger students are already familiar with the use of new technologies (mobile phones, tablets) but seem to only be playing and not learning…

In addition, many students from underprivileged socio-economic backgrounds did not have electronic equipment or used inappropriate devices such as mobile phones, which, by becoming the main means of communication, seriously impede the teaching and learning process. The efforts of schools to provide for the logistics of students with the few funds they had were not enough to cover all needs. This conclusion should be of concern to the Ministry of Education and the wider world of education.

“However, not only students had problems with the equipment. Many teachers have taken on the expense of upgrading their equipment to be able to respond to the new teaching environment, but mostly without the necessary training and experience. On the other hand, the new teaching and learning environment presented new requirements. Thus, teachers have made a significant restructuring of the learning objectives and learning strategies,” says Ms. Gela Varnava-Skoura.

Emergency

The researchers point to the obvious, which needs to be assessed: everything worked in an unprecedented state of emergency, and the book highlights that the integration of digital technologies into society in Greece is lower than in most EU countries. Of particular interest, there was also a significant degree of mutual support between teachers at all levels of the school through social media contacts. Something that continues even now. However, as Ms. Varnava-Skura emphasizes, “The use of digital technologies has opened up new horizons for interactive ways of teaching and learning, provided that the necessary equipment is available, an appropriate Internet connection, teacher training, and student and teacher support.

Otherwise, the incorrect integration of digital technologies in education will lead to increased inequality in education and, as a result, to social discrimination.”

Numbers

8.7% of students in both classes, they did not participate in distance learning at all. The highest percentage was among kindergarten students (21.6%) and primary school students (13.2%).

85.3% of teachers they concluded that some students in their school needed to be provided with electronic equipment.

44.2% of teachers they responded that the equipment they had was not enough to participate in distance learning.

75% of teachers High school teachers said they assessed students through oral exams and written assignments.

60% think now integrate some form of distance learning into your learning.

74% of teachers they believe that supporting each other through social media can contribute positively
in the educational process.